Article October 15, 2007 Issue

THE QUEST TO FORGIVE

BEA ROEGGE

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

As the first anniversary of the West Nickel Mines Amish School killings approaches, we're again reminded of the outstanding forgiveness of the Amish community. This example is particularly relevant today where there's a need to forgive Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 students and faculty members, as well as himself, at Virginia Tech in April earlier this year.

The Amish say explicitly that it is God who gave them the power to forgive the man who killed and wounded their children. Right now, this same divine power is available to each one of us to forgive and be forgiven.

The prayer Jesus taught his followers, the Lord's Prayer, includes a petition to God for forgiveness. It's recorded in the Gospel of Matthew this way: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," and Jesus goes on to say, "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (6:12, 14).

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